ALEXANDRIA, Va.—Social media is becoming a powerful tool for both employers and job seekers, according to CNBC.
When thinking of social media and getting a job or hiring an employee, most people think of LinkedIn. Three people get hired via the LinkedIn platform every minute, says the professional-networking site. Although LinkedIn may be the go-to platform for online hiring and job seeking, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok and YouTube are formidable players in the social media career space.
Job seekers are using these platforms to showcase their work if they’re in a creative field, such as animation, and posting video resumes of themselves. TikTok offers a program called “TikTok Resumes,” and Makena Yee, a senior at the University of Washington, Seattle, posted a 60-second video of herself as part of the soft launch of the “TikTok Resumes” pilot program. She received 15 job inquiries and responses like “Sending this TikTok to my team,” “Hire her!!!!” and “Way to lead by example for others.” The Resumes program allows job seekers to apply directly for jobs at companies like Chipotle, Target or Shopify via TikTok. Employers can utilize the program by finding potential employees who use #TikTokResumes.
Younger generations, especially Gen Zs, are watching companies’ social media accounts and using them as a factor in deciding whether or not they want to work for them. According to CNBC, a job seeker applied for a job at a drone company just because he saw its Instagram Stories, which garnered interest in the company. CNBC advises job seekers to utilize stories to their advantage by posting a 24-hour Story to thank colleagues at the end of a project or creating a permanent Story Highlight to show off finished projects.
It’s an employee’s world, as millions of employers are struggling to fill open jobs and to retain their current employees. More than 4.4 million people quit their jobs in September, according to the New York Times, up from 4.3 million in August, which was the highest on record. There were roughly 75 unemployed workers for every 100 job openings in September, the lowest ratio on record.
To help convenience retailers attract and retain top-notch people, NACS partnered with the nonprofit Good Jobs Institute in January 2020 to bring the Good Jobs Strategy to the industry.
A recent NACS webinar explored how retailers can attract and hire team members today and in the future. From virtual hiring to job shadowing, retailers are employing a host of ways to find and connect with potential workers. NACS Magazine explored how convenience stores are finding success in hiring in “Are You Ready for a Gen Z Workforce?” in the September 2021 issue.